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A 


SERMON, 


DELIVERED  TO 

DOCTOR  SPRING'S  SOCIETY, 

IN 

NEWBURYPORT, 

THANKSGIVING  EVENING, 

NOV.  30,  1809. 


BY  REV.  ETHAN  SMITH, 
Pastor  of  the  first  Church  in  Hopkinton,  N.  H. 


"  SHALL   NOT  THE  JUDGE  OF  ALL  THE  EARTH  DO  RIGHT  ?\ 

ABRAHAM. 


NEWBURYPORT  : 
FROM  THE  PRESS  OF  E.  W.  ALLEN. 


1809. 


A  SERMON,  &c. 


:©:< 


PSALM  CXIX.    137- 


RIGHTEOUS  ART  THOU,   O  LORD,   AND  UPRIGHT  ARE  THY 
JUDGMENTS. 

1  HE  generality  of  people  acknowledge 
that  God  is  righteous ;  while  but  few  cordially  em- 
brace his  character.  By  God's  being  righteous, 
we  are  to  understand,  that  his  character  and  works 
are  perfect. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  prove  that  God  is  right- 
eous, as  though  it  were  a  matter  of  doubt ;  or  as 
though  we  ought  not  to  place  entire  confidence  in 
the  information  afforded  us  in  the  text.  This 
would  be  impertinence  and  impiety.  But,  it  may 
be  profitable  for  us  to  connect  and  dwell  on  the 
evidences  of  the  divine  righteousness  and  the  con- 
sequences.— Let  it  then  be  noted, 

1.  It  is  infinitely  proper  and  desirable  that  God 
should  be  righteous. 

There  must  be  an  eternal,  immutable  fitness  in 
things.  Otherwise  it  would  be  in  vain  to  talk  of 
righteousness  or  unrighteousness   in   God.     AncJ 


4 
&& 
according  to  this  immutable  fitness  of  things,  the 
idea  of  God's  being  unrighteous  is  infinitely  ab- 
horrent and  dreadful.  As  God  demands  righteous- 
ness in  man,  he  himself  must  be  righteous.  If  he, 
who  ruleth  over  men,  must  be  just  ;  surely  He, 
who  ruleth  over  all,  must  be  just.  How  must 
a  deficiency  in  this  attribute,  disqualify  the  Most 
High  for  ruling  in  the  armies  of  heaven  and  a- 
mong  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  ? 

2.  God  asserts  that  he  is  righteous. 

"  I  the  Lord  love  righteousness,  and  hate  in- 
iquity." a  God  is  upright,  and  there  is  no  unright- 
eousness in  him."  "  Far  be  it  from  God,  that  he 
should  do  wickedness,  and  from  the  Almighty, 
that  he  should  commit  iniquity."  Vastly  numer- 
ous are  the  instances  in  which  God  asserts  ex- 
piessly  or  implicitly  that  he  is  righteous.  And 
although  unrighteous  men  may  be  most  liberal  in 
their  professions  of  righteousness,  yet  this  argu- 
ment has  infinite  weight  to  evince  the  divine  right- 
eousness, when  it  is  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  other 
evidences  upon  this  point. 

3.  God  has  made  man  capable  of  correctly  judging 
upon  this  point. 

Millions  God  has  formed  with  exalted  powers  of 
mind,and  indued  with  a  keen  moral  sense  of  right 
and  wrong.  And  though  none  can  by  searching 
find  out  God,  or  comprehend  his  plan  ;  and  though 
the  height  of  his  ways  is  further  above  the  compre- 


5 
&& 
hension  of  creatures,  than  the  farthest  star  is  be-? 
yond  our  reach  ;  yet  so  much  creatures  are  made 
capable  of  discerning,  and  so  much  light  is  afford- 
ed them  on  the  subject,  that  they  are  capable  of 
discerning  the  confutation  of  every  charge  against 
the  righteousness  of  God,  and  of  beholding  the  de- 
monstrations of  the  divine  rectitude. 

4.  God  appeals  to   creatures  to  judge  of  his  right- 
eousness. 

"  And  now,  O  inhabitants    of  Jerusalem,    and 
men  of  Judah,  judge,  I  pray  you,  between  me  and 
my  vineyard.  What  could  have  been  done  more  to 
my  vineyard  ;  that  I  have  not  done  in  it    ?"     "  O 
my  people,  what  have  I  done  unto  thee  ?  Where- 
in have  I  wearied   thee    ?     Testify    against    me." 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  What  iniquity  have  your 
fathers  found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far    from 
me,  and  have  walked  after  vanity  and  are  become 
vain  ?"     "  Yet  ye  say,  The  way    of  the    Lord  is 
not  equal.     Hear  now,  O  house  of  Israel,    is    not 
my  way  equal  !  Are  not    your    ways   unequal   ?" 
"  Put  me  in  remembrance  ;  let  us  plead  together  ; 
declare    thou,    that    thou    mayest    be   justified." 
u  Come  now    let  us    reason    together,    saith    the 
Lord."     "  For  thus  saith  the    Lord,  who   created 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  I   have   not    spoken  in 
secret,  in  the  dark  places  of  the    earth."     Or,    I 
have  done  nothing  under  disguise,  or  by  intrigue  ; 
nothing  that  will  not  bear  the  light.    "  Thus  saith 
the  Lord,  Where  is  the  bill  of  your    mother's    di- 
vorcement, whom  I  have  put  away  ?  or   to   which 


6 

of  my  creditors  is  it,  to  whom  I  have  sold  you  ! 
Behold  for  your  iniquities  you  have  sold  your- 
selves."— "  Make  you  a  new  heart  and  a  new 
spirit  ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel." 
Many  such  appeals  and  expostulations  do  we  find 
in  the  word  of  God,  in  which  God  condescends  to 
reason  with  man  concerning  his  righteousness. 
But  this  God  womld  never  have  done  had  man 
been  unable  to  discern  the  perfection  of  the  divine 
righteousness.  Our  blessed  Redeemer  appealed 
to  his  accusers,  "  I  spake  openly  to  the  world  ;  I 
ever  taught  in  the  Temple  where  the  Jews  always 
resort  ;  and  in  secret  have  I  said  nothing.  Ask 
them,  who  heard  me,  what  I  have  said  unto  them." 
"  The  works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's  name,  they 
bear  witness  of  me."  "Though  ye  believe  not  me, 
believe  the  works  that  ye  may  know  and  believe 
that  the  Father  hath  sent  me."  Such  appeals  the 
Most  High  would  not  have  made  to  rational  crea- 
tures had  the)  been  able  to  discern  any  iniquity 
in  him. 

5.  The  more  creatures  have  studied  the  things  and 
ways  of  God,  the  more  they  have  discovered  of  his 
perfect  righteousness. 

In  this  I  confidently  appeal  to  all  the  pious  and 
wise.  The  most  eminent  saints  have  been  ev- 
idences of  the  truth  of  this  point.  Abraham  had 
adopted  it  as  a  most  evident  case.  "  Shall  not  the 
judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?"  King  David, 
while  he  notes  that  the  judgements  of  God  are  a 
great  deep  yet  in  the  same  breath,  declares,  "Thy 


7 

righteousness  is  like  the  great  mountains."  And 
abundantly,  through  his  inspired  writings,  he  de- 
clares the  same  sentiment.  Our  text  is  but  one 
among  many  of  this  kind.  Solomon  was  a  man 
of  great  penetration.  And  how  full  is  his  testi- 
mony forGod  that  "All  the  words  of  his  mouth  are 
in  righteousness  ;  there  is  nothing  froward  or  per- 
verse in  them."  Paul,  while  he  spake  much  of 
the  sovereignty  and  deep  judgements  of  God,  yet 
testifies  to  the  divine  righteousness.  "  Is  there 
unrighteousness  with  God  ?  God  forbid."  God 
forbid  that  any  should  entertain  such  a  thought. 
And  this  great  Apostle  triumphed  in  "  the  riches 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God,"  even 
where  his  judgments  were  unsearchable  and  his 
ways  past  finding  out  :  much  satisfactory  evidence 
he  discovered,  even  concerning  the  deepest  judg- 
ments of  heaven.  The  ambassadors  of  Christ 
form  a  cloud  of  witnesses  to  this  blessed  truth, 
that  God  is  righteous.  Men  of  the  most  distinguish- 
ed abilities,  goodness  and  improvements  in  divini- 
ty, have  unitedly  testified  that  when  in  times  past 
they  doubted  of  the  divine  righteousness,  it  was 
wholly  owing  to  their  wicked  hearts,  and  to  the 
want  of  due  attention  to  the  subject.  And  that 
their  conviction  of  God's  righteousness  has  become 
more  &  more  perfect,the  more  they  have  judiciously 
investigated  the  subject.  Listen  to  the  more  perfect 
evidence  exhibited  by  the  heavenly  hosts.  Those 
bright  and  exalted  intelligences  excel  in  wisdom, 
in  deep  mental  powers,  in  the  best  means  of  infor- 
mation, and  in  perfect  rectitude.  And  what  is  the 
result  of  their  investigation  ?     This  !  "  They  rest 


8 

not'  day  nor  night,  saying  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord 
God  Almighty."  "  Just  and  true  are  thy  ways 
thou  Kins:  of  Saints." 


o 


6.  God  is  perfectly  happy  ;  and  therefore  he  must 
be  perfect  in  righteousness. 

The  perfect  happiness  of  God  none  I  trust  will 
duspute.  This  truth  is  evinced  in  every  senti- 
ment both  of  revealed  and  of  natural  religion. 
But  could  God  be  perfectly  happy  if  he  were 
conscious  of  injustice  ?  We  must  judge  it  impos- 
sible in  the  nature  of  things.  A  clear  view  of  the 
hateful  nature  of  injustice,  with  a  consciousness  of 
being  a  subject  of  it,  must  occasion  in  the  divine 
mind  the  very  reverse  of  happiness.  This  will  be  be- 
lieved by  every  person,  who  has  felt  any  thing  of 
that  bliss,  which  is  connected  with  holiness,  and 
of  that  wretchedness  connected  with  a  clear  view 
of  the  nature  of  sin,  and  with  a  consciousness  of 
beings  defiled  with  it.  Every  such  person  knows 
that  fear  of  future  punishment  is  far  from  being 
the  only  source  of  unhappiness  and  that  a  sense  of 
the  defilement  of  sin  is  a  most  distressing  source 
of  infelicity.  Graceless  persons  may  fail  of  feel- 
ing the  full  force  of  this  argument.  But  sure  I  am 
that  gracious  hearts  will  feel  it.  "  A  wounded 
Spirit  who  can  bear  ?"  The  whole  of  the  wound 
here  does  not  arise  from  a  slavish  fear  of  future 
torments  ;  but  the  keenest  part  of  it  to  the  benev- 
olent heart  is  from  a  sense  of  the  immutable  hate- 
fulness  of  sin  ;  and  of  being  defiled  with  it.  And 
this  the  Most  High  must  feel  to  an  infinite  degree 
if  he  were  conscious  of  injustice.     God  is  possess- 


9 

ed  of  infinite  abilities  to  do  good.  He  must  see 
with  infinite  clearness  all  the  good  which  he 
could  produce,  and  the  infinite  desirableness  of  it. 
And  if  any  part  of  the  good,  which  God  could 
produce,  be  not  produced  ;  it  must  occasion  feel- 
ings in  the  divine  mind  the  very  reverse  of  hap- 
piness. God  from  eternity  knew  how  to  secure 
the  happiness  of  his  own  infinite  mind,  in  a  con- 
sciousness of  having  done  the  best  in  all  things 
which  could  be  done.  He  could  have  had  no  mo- 
tive to  do  otherwise  than  to  secure  this  happi- 
ness. He  certainly  then  must  have  secured  it  : 
And  therefore  we  may  be  assured  he  is  a  God  of 
perfect  righteousness. 

7.  God  lias  appointed  a  day,  to   give    all  rational 
creatures  a  viezv  of  his  righteousness. 

This  is  called  The  day  of  the  revelation  of  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God,  who  will  render  to 
every  man  according  to  his  deeds.  The  day  in 
which  the  righteousness  of  the  judgments,  the  gov- 
ernment, character  and  works  of  God  will  be  re- 
vealed, and  clearly  unfolded  to  all.  God  has  in- 
formed, and  thus  pledged  his  veracity,  that  such  an 
event  shall  take  place  ;  and  that  it  will  issue  in  his 
glory,  in  the  salvation  of  his  friends  and  the  shame 
and  confusion  of  all  his  enemies.  Creatures  will 
then  have  full  opportunity  to  judge,  each  one  for 
himself,  of  the  righteousness  of  God.  The  saints 
shall  judge  the  world.  Every  mind  and  conscience 
will  there  be  awake,and  in  a  perfect  state  to  judge 
correctly.  "  The  books  will  be  opened."  All  possi- 
B 


.10 
<&& 
ble  information  will  then  be  afforded.  And  eve- 
ry one  will  see  and  know  that  there  is  no  want  of 
information,  no  darkness,no  intrigue,  no  deception. 
All  this  is  abundantly  predicted  in  the  sacred  or- 
acles, together  with  the  result  of  the  whole.  God 
is  omniscient  and  infallibly  knows  how  things  on 
that  day  wrill  appear.  And  he  never  would  have 
engaged  to  bring  things  to  such  an  issue,  and 
foretold  what  the  result  would  be,  had  he  not 
known  the  truth  of  his  predictions,  and  that  the 
glory  of  his  perfections  will  then  appear  with  ineffa- 
ble lustre.  That  day  and  its  events  are  predict- 
ed to  inspire  the  confidence  of  God's  people  and  to 
calm  and  animate  every  doubting  soul.  And  this 
thought  viewed  in  its  proper  light,  suggests  incon- 
testable evidence  of  the  righteousness  of  God. 

8.     In  the  scheme  of  salvation  by  Christ,  the  per- 
fect    righteousness     of  God   is    gloriously    exhib- 
ited. 

Here  it  appears  that  the  Most  High  could  not 
consistently  with  justice  pardon  sin  without  an 
infinite  atonement.  God  in  his  infinite  benignity 
was  determined  to  pardon  rebels  and  to  prepare 
heirs  of  heaven  from  beings,  who  deserved  etern- 
al death.  And  as  this  could  not  be  done  on  prin- 
ciples which  were  correct  and  consistent  with 
good  government  without  infinite  expense  in  the 
condescension,  labours,  sufferings  and  death  of  his 
Son  on  earth,  this  method  was  adopted.  The  word 
was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  men,  to  declare 
the  divine  righteousness,  that  God  might  be  just,  and 
the  justifer  of  him  who   believeth   in  Jesus.     God 


11 

was  manifest  in  the   flesh,    that  his  righteousness 
might  be  declared  while  he  pardoned   and    saved 
the  guilty.     Had  God  been    unrighteous,    or  not 
infinitely  correct  in  the  best  principles  of  govern- 
ment, he  might  have  set  himself    superior  to    the 
necessity  of  making   an    atonement.       He   might 
have  pardoned  whom  he   pleased,    and    punished 
whom  he  pleased  ;  and  never  have  sent  his    Son 
from  his  bosom.     A  lawless  unjust    tyrant    could 
easily  leap  over  such  obstacles  as  stood  in  the  way 
of  such  a  process.     But  a  righteous  governor  can- 
not.     That    God  may  consistently   pardon,    The 
Lamb  of  God  must  bleed  upon  the  altar  of  justice 
to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world.     He  must  taste 
death  for  every  man  in  order  that  a  general   ten- 
der of  salvation    might    be    made.     He   must    be 
made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we    might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him  ;  or  in 
order  that  men  in  being    saved   might  be    monu- 
ments of  God's  righteousness  as  well   as    of  his 
grace.     Herein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  reveal- 
ed from  faith  to  faith.     This  wonderful  scheme  is 
accordingly  called  "  The  law  of  righteousness." — 
The  scheme  which  gloriously  exhibits  the    right- 
eousness of  God,     And  hence  it  is  one  of  the  cap- 
ital operations  of  the  spirit  of  grace  to  convince  of 
righteousness  as  well  as  of  sin  and  of  judgement, 
— (John,  16.  8.)    To  manifest  the  righeousness  of 
God,  of  his   law,    government    and   grace,   as     it 
shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus   Christ  in  the  plan  of 
salvation.     This  plan  will  be  a  glorious    medium 
to  reflect  the  perfect  righteousness  of  God  world 
without  end. 


12 

The  way  is  now  prepared  to  attend  to  some  de^ 
ductions  from  the  truth  thus  exhibited. 

1.  If  God  is  righteous,  then  the  great  plan  which 
he  has  adopted,  and  is  fulfilling,  is  the  best  possible. 

That  God  has  adopted  a  plan,  which  comprises 
every  creature  and  event  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  and  from  eternity  to  eternity  ;  and  that  he 
is  fulfilling  this  plan  by  all  his  creatures,  and  by 
all  his  works  and  theirs,  and  by  every  event,  not 
excepting  the  falling  of  the  sparrow,  and  the  num- 
ber of  our  hairs,  is  a  truth  most  manifest  in  the 
sacred  pages.  And  it  is  evinced  even  in  the  light 
of  nature.  The  denial  of  it  not  only  contradicts 
the  Bible,  but  implicitly  denies  the  being  of  God. 
For  it  denies  things  essential  to  his  being.  And 
my  deduction  is,  that  this  divine  plan  must  be  the 
best  possible.  Omniscience  surely  discerned  the 
best  eternally,  and  with  infinite  precision.  Om- 
nipotence could  with  infinite  ease,  effect  the  best 
plan.  An  imperfect  plan  could  not  be  effected 
with  greater  ease  than  the  best.  For  to  Omnip- 
otence all  possible  things  are  equally  easy.  And 
it  must  be  infinitely  desirable  that  the  best  plan, 
and  this  only,  should  have  been  adopted.  But 
perfect  righteousness  in  God  must  have  induced 
him  to  do  what  was  on  the  whole  infinitely  desira- 
ble. Certainly  then  the  best  plan  was  adopted. 
And  no  alteration  in  it  could  have  been  made  for 
the  better.  God's  work  is  perfect.  Nothing  can 
be  added  to  it  ;  and  nothing  taken  from  it.  It  is 
not  capable  of  amendment. 


13 

2.  If  Go  J  is  righteous,  then  the  treatment,  which 
all  creatures  receive  from  God,  is  just  such  as  the 
greatest  good  requires   and  is  perfectly  right. 

This  must  hold  true  of  God's  treatment  of  the 
heavenly  hosts  and  of  the  damned  ;  of  his  treat- 
ment of  his  church  on  earth  and  of  all  people.  It 
must  have  been  true  of  God's  treatment  of  the  old 
world  ;  of  Sodom  ;  of  the  Egyptians  ;  of  the 
Canaanites  ;  and  of  all  the  enemies  of  the  church, 
from  first  to  last.  Infinite  benevolence  to  the 
proper  object  of  benevolence  effected  it  all.  "  God 
is  love."  And  upon  the  destruction  of  his  ene- 
mies, as  well  as  upon  the  salvation  of  his  friends, 
it  is  abundantly  announced,  "  For  his  mercy  en- 
dure th  forever."  (Psalm  1361)  Hence  one  pillar 
of  universal  salvation  falls.  We  have  no  evidence 
that  infinite  goodness  in  God  does  militate  against 
the  eternal  destruction  of  many  of  the  human  race. 
We  see  in  fact  that  the  b^st  possible  plan  does  in- 
volve all  the  evils  which  exist  in  the  universe. 
And  as  all  these  evils  are  consistent  with  the  best 
plan,  so  the  endless  continuance  of  evil  may,  for 
ought  we  know,  be  involved  in  the  best  possible 
plan.  The  greatest  good  may  require  that  there 
shall  be  monuments  of  justice,  and  vessels  of  wrath, 
to  continue  in  the  same  state  of  torment  and  dis- 
pair  in  an  endless  existence.  And  the  affirma- 
tive of  this  the  word  of  God  teaches  in  the  most 
ample  and  incontestable  manner. 

3.  If  God  is  righteous,  then  all  J  lis  works  xvill for- 
ever praise  him. 


14 

*/?<& 
Every  part  of  God's  plan  of  operations   will  re- 
flect his  glory.     For  it  will  appear  in  eternity  that 
every  part  of  the  divine  system  was    conceived  in 
infinite  wisdom  and  goodness.     And  while  devils 
and  all  the  finally  impenitent  will  sink  and   glori- 
fy the  divine  justice,  all  the  benevolent  will  adore 
God  for  every  part  of  his  works,  and   will  admire 
his  depths  of  wisdom  opened  and  opening  in  every 
part  of  his  system.       Nothing  will  appear  to  have 
been  ordered  or  done  in  vain,   nor  without  a  good 
and  sufficient   object.      The   manifold  wisdom  of 
God  will  shine  in  these  deep  things,  which  in  this 
world  appear  the  most  difficult    and    unaccounta- 
ble.    The  mysterious  connexions  of  God's  works 
will  unfold  his  glory,   and  fill  his  heavenly  wor- 
shippers with  wonder  and  delight,  as  their  mental 
powers  enlarge,  and  as  they  are  enabled  to  explore 
the  deeper  things  of  the    divine   counsels.       And 
there  it  will  appear,  that  those   who    here    denied 
the  decrees  of  God,  or  would    exempt    any   thing 
from  being  fixed  in  his  eternal  counsels,  implicitly 
aimed  a  fatal  stroke  at  the  glory  and    even  at  the 
existence  of  God. 

4.  If  God  is  perfectly  righteous,  then  all  his  de- 
mands of  men  are  perfectly  rig  Id  eons. 

God  makes  demands  of  men.  He  demands 
supreme  and  entire  love  to  himself.  He  demands 
perfect  obedience.  And  if  God  is  righteous  his 
law  is  righteous,  and  its  sanctions  righteous. 
God  demands  of  fallen  men  a  new  heart.  "Make 
you  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit  ;  why  will  ye 
die  ?"  He  demands  repentance,  faith,    self-denial, 


IS 

a  single  eye  to  his  glory,  holiness  of  heart  and 
life.  "  Now  he  commandeth  all  men  every  where 
to  repent." 

"  Believe  oh  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Every 
christian  grace  is  demanded.  And  all  this  imme- 
diately. "  To  day  after  so  long  a  time."  "  Be- 
hold now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold  now  is  the 
day  of  salvation."  God  commands  men  to  cease 
immediately  to  be  what  they  ought  not  to  be  ;  and 
to  be  what  they  ought — holy  and  obedient.  These 
things  God  demands  with  all  his  infinite  authori- 
ty. And  denounces  eternal  death  as  justly  due 
upon  every  refusal  of  obedience  ;  and  as  what 
shall  inevitably  be  inflicted  upon  all,  who  die  in 
this  refusal.  God  knows  the  powers  of  the  hu- 
man soul.  He  made  and  sustains  them  ;  and 
knows  how  to  address  himself  properly  to  them. 
God  knows  the  nature  of  man's  total  dependence 
on  him.  He  knows  what  are  the  suitable  terms  of 
salvation  ;  or  what  it  is  proper  to  demand  of  man. 
And  if  he  exceed  what  is  perfectly  proper,  or  de- 
mand any  thing  unreasonable,  he  is  unjust.  For 
unrighteous  demands  constitute  an  unrighteous 
character.  But  God  is  righteous.  Therefore  his 
demands  of  men  are  reasonable.     But 

5.  IPe  learn  the  duty  of  immediate  obedience,  and 
of  unconditional  submission  to  God ;  and  that  all 
want  of  these  is  utterly  inexcusable. 

Immediate  love,  repentance,  faith,  submission, 
obedience  and  universal  holiness  are  God's  due, 
and  man's  duty.     And  man  can  have    no    excuse 


16 

\&& 

in  the  neglect  of  any  of  these  christian  graces; 
Every  excuse,  which  man  can  form,  rests  on 
ground,  of  which  he  would  be  ashamed  if  applied 
to  his  treatment  of  fellow  men.  The  continual 
decisions  of  common  sense  relative  to  man's  treat- 
ment of  each  other  condemn  the  pleas  which  sin- 
ners form  to  excuse  their  disobedience  to  God. 
And  every  penitent  feeling  of  the  christian  does 
the  same.  And  no  wonder.  For  if  man  had  one 
just  excuse  for  not  being  and  doing  what  God  de- 
mands, then  God  is  unrighteous  in  his  demands. 
But  God  is  righteous.  Therefore  his  demands 
are  righteous.  And  all  opposition  to  them  is  ut- 
terly inexcusable.  Accordingly  our  Lord  informs 
gospel  sinners,  that  "  Now  they  have  no  cloak  for 
their  sin."  And  all  the  excuses  of  sinners  are 
represented  as  false  hiding  places  and  refuges  of 
lies.  The  dependence  of  criminals  on  God,  the 
government  of  God  in  their  crimes,  and  their  want 
of  a  heart  to  avoid  those  crimes,  these  things  are 
never  mentioned  in  civil  courts,  or  in  the  .verdicts 
of  men  by  way  of  excuse  for  criminal  conduct  in 
society.  And  they  will  never  afford  an  excuse 
for  the  sinner  at  the  bar  of  God  or  of  conscience, 

If  God  is  righteous,  all  want  of  unconditional 
submission  to  him  is  unreasonable.  We  make 
conditions  with  men  because  we  are  afraid  to  trust 
them  till  we  have  them  bound.  We  distrust  their 
hearts,  or  abilities,  or  both.  But  when  the  Being, 
with  whom  we  have  to  do,  is  infinitely  knowing, 
infinitely  able,  and  infinitely  well  disposed,  what 
is  wanting  to  excite  entire  confidence  ?  We  need 
make  no  conditions  with  such  a  Being  ;  but  cast 


17 

&& 
ourselves  at  his  feet  ;  refer  all  things  for   eternity 
and  for  time  to  his  decision.     Every   thing    short 
of  this  is  perverseness. 

And  what  reason  can  be  given  why  any  creature 
should  find  fault,  or  be  displeased  with  any  de- 
cision, any  doctrine,  purpose,  or  work  of  the  infi- 
nitely righeous  God  ?  For  all  is  the  best  possible  ! 
Why  should  a  murmur  arise  against  infinite  good- 
ness ?  Every  murmuring  word  or  thought  against 
any  thing  in  God's  word,  works,  or  providences,  is 
"wickedness,  and  an  impious  union  thus  far  with 
the  powers  of  darkness.  "  Woe  to  him  that 
strives  with  his  Maker." 

6.  We  learn  from  our  subject  the  utter  depravity 
of  the  human  heart. 

Do  we  find  men  obedient  and  submissive  to 
God  ?  Do  they  love  God  with  all  their  heart  ?  Do 
they  universally  exercise  repentance  toward  God, 
and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Do  they  ex- 
ercise self-denial,  and  maintain  a  single  eye  to  the 
glory  of  God? 

Do  men  naturally  love  and  embrace  the  doc- 
trines of  salvation  ?  Do  they  rejoice  that  the  Lord 
God  Omnipotent  reigneth  ?  Alas,  how  far  other- 
wise !  What  is  the  conduct,  what  the  history  of 
man  ?  to  say  nothing  of  the  heathenism,  idolatries, 
gross  delusions,  bloody  wars  and  scenes  of  confu- 
sion which  have  filled  the  world ;  what  cavils  have 
appeared  on  every  side  against  the  doctrines  of 
C 


id 

^^ 
grace  ?  What  treatment  has  Jesus  Christ  received 
in  his  person  and  in  his  membeis  ?  Listen  to  the 
effusions  of  the  wickedness  of  the  human  heart, 
"  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us." — 
"  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his  voice  ?" 
"  This  is  a  hard  saying,  who  can  hear  it."  "  Why- 
doth  lie  yet  find  fault  ;  for  who  hath  resisted  his 
will  ?"  Those  doctrines,  I  cannot  endure,  and  do  not 
believe.  Thus  sinners  converse,  and  thus  they  live. 
And  this  is  but  a  hint  of  their  wretched  perverse- 
ness.  Thus  do  worms  of  the  dust  treat  the  eter- 
nal God,  the  God  of  righteousness  !  Who  then  can 
doubt  of  their  total  moral  depravity  ?  Men  declare 
this  their  sin  as  Sodom  and  hide  it  not.  And  to 
deny  it  under  this  profusion  of  evidence  is  but  to 
exhibit  dreadful  evidence  of  its  existence* 

We  might  therefore  expect  to  read  concerning 
man,  "  For  the  time  will  come  when  they  will  not 
endure  sound  doctrine  ;  but  after  their  own  lusts 
shall  they  keep  to  themselves  teachers  ;  having 
itching  ears  ;  and  they  shall  tmrn  away  their  ears 
from  the  truth,  and  shall  be  turned  unto  fables." 
"  For  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  ;  for 
it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be."  Verily  then,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  a- 
gain,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  Un- 
less the  heart  be  renewed  in  this  life  by  the  power 
of  almighty  grace  it  is  impossible  for  fallen  men 
to  see  God  in  peace,  or  to  relish  the  sources  of 
heavenly  bliss. 

7.  Is  God  a  being  of  perfect  righteousness  ?  And 
are  things  as  we  have  heard  ?  Then  how  great 
must  be  the  divine  abhorrence  of  sin  ! 


19 

&•& 
Although  sin  will,  contrary  to  its  nature,be  made 
to  bring  a  tribute  of  praise  to  God,  and  for  this 
purpose  its  existence  was  involved  in  the  divine 
plan,  yet  no  thanks  are  due  to  the  sinner.  And 
no  palliation  is  hence  afforded  for  his  crimes. 
For,  "  Howbeit  he  meaneth  not  so  ;  neither  does  his 
heart  think  so."  (Isaih  10.  7.)  Neither  the  decrees 
nor  the  good  which  God  will  produce  from  the  ex- 
istence of  sin  afford  the  least  mitigation  of  the  crim- 
inality of  the  sinner.  All  the  abomination  of  sin 
lies  at  the  door  of  the  transgressor.  He  wilfully 
violates  sacred  obligations.  His  conduct  is  abom- 
inable in  the  sight  of  the  holy  God.  God  says, 
M  Do  not  this  abominable  thing,  which  I  hate."  He 
is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  sin  with  the  least 
approbation.  "  God  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every 
day."     "  And  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty." 

8.  Is  God  perfectly  righteous  ?  And  are  things  as 
we  have  heard  ?  Then  we  learn  why  God  will  not; 
hear  the  prayers  of  the  impenitent. 

That  he  will  not  is  expressly  ascertained  in  his 
word.  And  the  reason  is,  because  he  loves  righ- 
teousness, and  hates  iniquity.  And  as  he  clearly 
sees  the  determinate  wickedness  of  the  impenitent 
heart,  he  must  abhor  it.  A  perverse  master  may 
be  induced  by  bribery  or  some  base  motive  to 
hear  the  wicked  plea  of  a  stubborn,  rebellious  ser- 
vant. But  a  good  master  will  not  be  thus  induc- 
ed. When  the  impenitent  are  led  to  utter  good 
words  before  God  in  the  form  of  prayer  God 
looks  into  the  heart,  and  sees  they  mean  not  so  ; 
hut.  thpv.flatter  him  with  their  mouth,  and  lie  unto 


20 

him  with  their  tongue,  while  the  heart  is  far  from 
him,  and  proudly  refuses  submission.  And  they 
are  rejected  on  the  same  principle,  on  which  good 
people  reject  the  mockery  of  known  triflers.  But 
while  the  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomination 
to  the  Lord  ;  and  while  if  we  regard  iniquity  in 
our  hearts  the  Lord  will  not  hear  us  ;  "  The 
prayer  of  the  upright  is  his  delight."  And  every  en- 
couragement to  immediate  and  persevering  prayer 
is  afforded.  "  Seek  ye  the  Lord  then  while  he 
may  be  found  ;  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near. — 
Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrigh- 
teous man  his  thoughts  ;  and  let  him  return  unto 
the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and 
to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon."  Let 
us  then  lift  up  our  hearts  with  our  hands  to  God 
in  Heaven. 

9.  Is  God  such  a  Being  as  we  have  heard  ?  Then 
how  critical  and  dangerous  is  the  state  of  his  ene- 
mies !  They  have  ungratefully  and  wickedly  tak- 
en their  stand  in  opposition  to  the  God  of  perfect 
rtghteousness,  and  terrible  Majesty.  And  God's 
righteousness  binds  him  to  note  their  conduct  and 
to  deal  with  them.  It  renders  him  inflexible  in 
justice,  and  terrible  in  his  government  to  his  ene- 
mies. Infinite  goodness  will  render  the  Most  High 
eternally  deaf  to  the  cries  and  miseries  of  sinners 
in  perdition  ;  and  will  bind  him  to  punish  them 
forever.  Oh,  what  an  edge  will  this  give  to  their 
torments  !  To  see  that  they  are  the  effect  of  infi- 
nite goodness,  of  infinite  benevolence  to  the  proper 
object  of  benevolence,  so  that  the  glory  of  God 
will  shine  j  and  all  Heaven  will  rejoice  and  sing 


21 

Hallelujah,whilethe  smoke  of  their  torment  ascend- 
eth  up  forever  and  ever  !  Oh  sinners,  you  must  ■ 
turn  or  burn  !  You  must  with    gracious  hearts  in 
this  life   submit  to  God  and  become  united  to 
Christ  and  to  the  divine  glory ;  ■  or  you   must  eter- 
nally sink  under  the  vials  of  infinite   justice,  and 
not  have  a  friend  in  the  universe  to  pity  you.     If 
you  venture  on  in  your   sins,  you  are  undone. — 
You  may  say,  O/z,  God  is  good  !    Yes  !    And  his 
goodness  will  plunge   you  in  remediless  ruin  ! — 
There  is  no  salvation  but  upon    God's  terms.-^- 
These  terms   are  precisely  stated. — "  Repentance 
toward  God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Your  pride  and  self-righteousness    must  be   re- 
nounced.    You  must  fall  into  the  dust  before  the 
sovereign  God  ;  or  there  is  no  escape.   You  must 
in   self-denial  take  your    seat  with  God's  people, 
and  come  into  the  order  of  his  kingdom  ;  or  be  for- 
ever excludedfrom  his  blessings.  "Without holiness 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."     You  may  say  These 
are  not  your  sentiments.     No  !  And  it  is  unhappy 
for  you  they  are  not !  They  will  be  your  sentiments. 
Your  present  unbelief  will  not  make  the  truth  of 
God  of  no  effect.     The  unbelief  of  the  old  world, 
of  Sodom,  and  of  sinners  now  in  hell  did  not  make 
the  truth  of  God  of  no  effect.     The  antediluvians 
were  warned  of  the  impending  deluge  ;  they  heard 
God's  preacher  of  righteousness   ;  they    saw   the 
fabric   of  the   ark  progressing.       And   probaoly 
many  ridiculed.     They  did  not  believe.  But  how 
did   things  terminate.       And  what   are  the  pres- 
ent state  and  reflections    of  these   sinners  ?  The 
people  of  Sodom  were  warned.     But  they  did  not 
believe.     Perhaps  they  suggested   that  they  were 


22 

not  of  this  sentiment  !  And  every  man  must  think 
for  himself!  Lot  seemed  to  his  sons  in  law  as  one 
who  mocked.  But  did  their  unbelief  save  them  ? 
Has  the  unbelief  of  sinners  from  that  day  to  this 
had  a  better  effect  ?  Will  your  unbelief  be  less 
yuinous  ?  If  you  regard  your  soul's  eternal  inter- 
est, cease  from  it  ;  and  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come. 
Every  thing  calls  you.  The  signs  of  the  times 
are  alarming.  God's  hand  is  lifted  high.  "  Be- 
hold now  is  the  accepted  time  ;  behold  now  is  the 
day  of  salvation." 

10.  75  God  perfectly  righteous,  as  we  have  seen  ? 
Then  all  who  are  reconciled  to  him  are  secure.  All 
who  are  interested  in  his  promises  are  safe. 

Let  the  prevalence  of  infidelity,  licentiousness, 
error,  fanaticism  and  irreligion  be  ever  so  great, 
u  The  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having 
this  seal,  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his." 
And  he  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  their  works 
of  labour  and  love.  Having  engaged  he  will  per- 
form. He  is  faithful,  who  has  promised.  Though 
heaven  and  earth  pass  away  every  tittle  of  his 
word  will  be  fulfilled.  His  righteousness  renders 
this  infallible.  He  is  then  the  rock  of  salvation  to 
all  the  penitent.  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a 
strong  tower,  the  righteous  runneth  into  it  and  is 
safe."  So  that  "  They  who  trust  in  the  Lord 
shall  be  as  Mount  Zion,  which  cannot  be  remov- 
ed, but  abideth  forever.  They  may  now  there- 
fore unite  in  the  triumphs  of  David  ;  and  of  Paul. 
"  God  is  our  refuge  and  strength,  a  very  present 
help  in  trouble.       Therefore  will    we    not   fear, 


23 

*&<& 
though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though  th<* 
mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea." 
"  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  ? 
Shall  tribulation,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  na- 
kedness, or  peril,  or  sword  ? Nay,  in  all  these 

things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him 
that  saved  us.  For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither 
death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature 
shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  These  tri- 
umphs of  salvation,  so  interesting  to  Zion,  are  fur- 
nished from  the  blessed  sentiment,  that  the  Lord 
is  righteous.  The  best  possible  plan  is  in  opera- 
tion. No  part  of  it  can  fail.  All  shall  be  fulfil- 
led in  ihe  salvation  of  Zion  ;  and  in  the  final  over- 
throw of  all  her  persevering  enemies.  Rejoice  in 
the  Lord  then,  O  ye  righteous  ;  and  let  your 
hearts  and  lives  resound  his  praise. 


THE  END. 


^SY/<r,     cya^f  f Ash's    ^  9-r^ffrf~   ^> 


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